


The Dark Silence

by Darky_Parky



Series: Ḙ̵̡͔̙͘Ŗ̴͉͎͓͒͆̎Ṛ̸̹̓Ȏ̴̧̭͎Ṟ̷͔̹̜͑̊̕ ̷̢͍̗̥̻̅̊̉E̷̲̓̆̈́͗R̴̥̪̭͖̋̆͜R̶͖̈̎̈́̅͝Ȍ̶̝̎̂̿̔̕R̶͇̣̗̮͝ [2]
Category: jacksepticeye
Genre: Angst, Anti-pocalypse, Demonic Possession, F/M, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Horror, I'm an Arctic Monkeys nerd, Knitting, Mild Gore, Nightmares, Platonic Relationships, Psychological Trauma, Puppets, Suicide, what do you want from me?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-06
Updated: 2018-07-27
Packaged: 2019-06-05 22:27:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,752
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15180698
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Darky_Parky/pseuds/Darky_Parky
Summary: Y̵͕̏O̵͚̽µ̵̬͒ ̸̬̍W̸͍͝Ä̵̲́N̴̟̓T̴̟͊Ë̷͜D̵̫̄ ̵̣̐M̴̀ͅ&̸̜̃ ̴̻͘V̸̦̿V̴̤͗Ĕ̴̙L̷͓͐L̵͉̓ ̶̟̋H̴̲̉£̷͆͜R̸͕̅E̷͈͒ ̴͉̾I̸̪͠ ̴̲̃A̶͓͒Ṃ̵̓





	1. Favorite Worst Nightmare

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You should know you're his favorite worst nightmare." - Arctic Monkeys, D Is For Dangerous

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Isn't it so much more helpful to tell apart who's who when there's only one ego left?
> 
>  
> 
> i'm sorry

The rocking chair swayed back and forth as the needles circled around and around, weaving a puppet. He hummed a pleasant tune as the needles made an organized little puppet from the mess on the floor.

The puppet was pink due to it's material. It had a stitched on smile and blue button eyes, although there weren't many other features to it for it was still unfinished.

" _I like to take my time with my puppets,_ " Anti spoke. " _Do you know why?"_ Signe didn't answer. She couldn't answer. " _Because the longer I take the stronger they become. Like you, my dear._ " Anti rocked his feet back and forth to keep the rocking chair's momentum. " _Look at how strong you have become, my little puppet._ " The needles clicked as he picked up speed. " _You'll be able to overthrow that doctor in no time. And once we find yer lil' boyfriend you'll be able to kill him too - without hesitation._ " Anti shrugged. " _And w_ _ho knows? Maybe you'll even be strong enough to rule with me in our own lil' world o' puppets._ "

Anti had finished knitting his puppet by tying off the top of it's hand with a knot. He smiled as he plucked the small puppet from the needles and took a good look at it. " _It seems like this lil' guy is ready to get his second layer. Signe, darlin', do ya mind?"_ Anti gestured to the body that lay at his feet, the bottom half of it, gone. Strings of it's muscle leading up to Anti's needles.

The body wore a lab coat a blue shirt, a surgical cap, and a surgical mask. Black framed glasses laying on the ground in front of his face.

Henrik slowly lifted his head from the ground, revealing his once blue eyes to be changing to a light green. He was very pale and was holding a pleading expression as he reached out for Signe.

"Signe, please, help me. You're ze only one zat can." Signe was so focused on Henrik she didn't even notice Anti standing up until he was offering her a knife. She looked up to see him grinning at her.

" _Don't be shy, puppet. You can do it._ " Henrik grabbed Signe's ankle.

"Please, Signe-"

" _Do it._ " Signe stared at the knife and how it gleamed ever so nicely in the light. She slowly reached out for the knife and took it from Anti. She stared at it, memorized by it's beauty. She loved the feeling of the weight in her hands, she felt. . . powerful. " _That's it, puppet._ " She turned to Henrik, feeling something inside her, urging her to do the unthinkable. Like someone tugging on the strings of her soul. 

There were tears in Henrik's eyes as he looked up to Signe desperately. "Signe, please, don't do this."

Signe raised the knife above her head and-!

* * *

Signe awoke with a gasp, her chest rising and falling rapidly as she quickly took in her surroundings. Faded wallpaper, dusty nightstands and family photos, a no longer functioning television mounted on the wall, in the corner was Henrik sleeping in a very old chair or. . . _was_ sleeping at least.

Signe drew her eyebrows together in confusion as she tried to remember getting here. Where's Jack? Where's Chase? Where's Jameson? Oh, that's right.

They're dead. They're all dead.

Henrik got up from his chair and over to Signe's bedside. "Signe, are you alright?" Signe didn't want to speak, for if she did she might start crying again. "Anozer nightmare?" Signe nodded silently. Henrik sat on the edge of the bed, looking to Signe with worry. "Do you vant to talk about it?"

Signe's lips began to quiver as the hot tears built up in her eyes. She threw her arms around Henrik and held him tightly. Henrik rubbed her back soothingly as she wept into his shoulder. "It's okay. It's okay," he assured. "Everyzing is alright."

Signe took in a quivering breath. "I. . . I was going to. . . I was going to kill you. I was g-going to kill you."

Henrik shushed her. "No, no, Signe, you vould never do zat."

"But I was-"

"Signe," Henrik pulled her away and looked her in the eyes, "you are a good person. And I know you vould never do somezing like zat."

"But what if I do?"

Henrik smiled softly. "You von't. Trust me." Signe slowly nodded as Henrik stood up. "I'm going to see if zere is any food downstairs. Stay here and vork on your breazing exercises vile I'm gone, alright?" Signe wiped away her tears and nodded.

"Okay." Henrik gave her one last smile before he exited the room, leaving Signe with her own self.

She pulled her legs over to the edge of the bed and gripped the sides of the comforter. She closed her eyes and took in a long shaky breath and letting it out slowly, the world slowly breaking away before her. Her worries and pain disappearing with it. Her grip on the comforter loosened.

She took in another deep breath, this one more even and the world broke away a little bit more. Darkness taking place of the empty spaces in the world. Signe took in one last breath before large, vibrant green eyes popped out from the darkness complimented by a bright grin.

" _Hey!"_

Signe's eyes snapped open as her heart pounded against her chest.

He was gone, but she could still feel him there - right in front of her. Signe held onto the sleeves of her sweater as some sort of comfort as she got up.

She needed to get him out of her head. She needed a distraction at least for a little while. Signe's eyes wandered about the room, looking for something to do. Her eyes eventually landed on the family photo on the nightstand. Curious, she picked it up to examine it.

In the picture was a dad, a mom, and two kids none of which she really recognized, but they all seemed like nice people at least from the photo's perspective. But when she blinked she could see Chase, his wife Stacy, and his kids all with crossed out eyes. When she blinked again, it was back to normal.

Quickly, Signe put down the photograph and went to the door. Henrik probably needs help finding food.

She opened the door and walked down the steps toward the sound of creaking hinges and movement of plates and pots. She stepped into the expansive kitchen floored with cracked white tiles and the walls lined with cupboards. On the far right was an old refrigerator, and in the middle of it Henrik was scavenging through a pantry. He turned at the sound of Signe walking in.

"Signe, didn't I tell you to-"

"I wanted to help." Signe walked over and began searching through the unopened cupboards.

"Signe, you can't let him get to you so easily."

"And I'm not," she lied. 

"Signe, zis is ze third time zis week you've had a nightmare."

"It. . . it's a lot better than last week."

"Signe, I know it's hard especially after losing your friends like zis, but you must learn how to face your fears."

Signe sighed. "I know." Signe turned her head to face Henrik. "Can I at least help you? Just this once?"

Henrik drew in a deep breath through his nose, scanning Signe's face thoroughly as he debated with himself. "Fine. But afterwards you vork on your breazing exercises for a full ten minutes, alright?"

Signe nodded. "Alright."

* * *

Henrik and Signe managed to get a few cans of food, a half-eaten box of cereal, and bottles of water. They didn't really bother to look in the fridge, assuming that everything has already gone bad.

After they finished, Signe - as promised, went into the living room, sat down at the couch and practiced her breathing exercises.

She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath before exhaling and repeating that three more times before the only thing that surrounded her was the everlasting darkness of the void. 

Signe sat in the void for a long time, feeling uneasy as usual.

When suddenly a refrigerator came into view. It whirred with life unlike the one in the real world. Signe felt compelled to it, but. . .

" _Don't interact vith anyzing in your dreams, no matter vat._ " So, Signe stayed still and tried to focus on her breathing. But after a few seconds the refrigerator had moved closer to her, almost in arm length. Signe tried to grab the edge of the couch as to not be tempted to reach out for the handle only to find that the couch was gone.

Signe slowly stood up and closed her eyes once again, focusing on her breathing. The air filling her lungs and slowly escaping her body. Her diaphragm moving up and down with each and every breath taken in.

" _Psst, hey!_ _"_ Signe didn't respond. She was not going to succumb to Anti's tricks, not this time. " _Heeey._ " Signe pressed her lips into a thin line and furrowed her eyebrows in concentration. " _ **HEY!** "_  Signe's eyes snapped open to see the refrigerator closer than ever. The buzzing of it almost becoming infernal.

Before Signe could even consider maybe turning around and walking away her hand was already reaching out for the handle.

She slowly opened it, white fog trickling out from it as if it were an untouched freezer. Taking in a shuddering breath, she opened it all the way and screamed at the sight.

It was Sean's severed head served on a silver platter. Not Henrik's. Not Jameson's. Not Chase's. Not Marvin's.  _Sean's._

His once blue eyes now a dull gray, his mouth hanging open. Old blood staining the steel below him.

Tears began to fill Signe's eyes once again when the refrigerator door was slammed shut and she was met yet again with a grinning Anti. " _You weren't supposed to see that._ " Anti grabbed Signe by the arm and tried to pull her away. Signe rooted herself to the ground and pulled back on her own arm, but it didn't seem that Anti was budging. Signe resorted to kicking him in the chest, but that didn't seem to work either.

"Get away! Get away!  _GET AWAY!"_

"Signe!" Signe snapped back to reality.

Henrik was currently on his back with Signe holding up his arm and her foot on his chest. Signe's eyes widened as she stepped away from the doctor.

"Henrik, I-I'm so sorry. I-I didn't mean to!"

Henrik slowly sat up on his own and brushed himself off. "It's alright. I know you didn't mean to. I should be ze one zat should be apologizing. I should have known better zan to sneak up on you." Signe grabbed his hand and pulled him up.

"But I didn't listen to what you said. I interacted with something in my dream again and I-"

Henrik smiled as he placed a hand on Signe's shoulder. "Signe, it's alright. You're making progress."

Signe knitted her eyebrows together. "I am?"

"Zat vas a full ten minutes."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just wanted to say that when Anti is talking about strength, he's not talking about how much you could lift or something stupid like that. He means strength to overcome emotion.  
> But, anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, I hope it wasn't too bad and anticipate the next one! Also don't be afraid to point out any grammatical mistakes in my work, it will make my life a lot easier.


	2. When the Sun Goes Down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "They said it changes when the sun goes down." - Arctic Monkeys, When the Sun Goes Down

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I don't have a real summary for this chapter either, I just didn't really know what to do with it. I'll try to think of a good one for next chapter though. Anyway, enjoy.

After that incident Henrik sat Signe down and talked to her until she felt a little bit better about attacking him. Once she did, Henrik and her packed up all they had in the backpack they had found nearby a school and hit the road yet again in search for something or someone that could help them.

The two walked in a comfortable silence as they passed abandoned buildings and deserted homes. It was kind of creepy - the everlasting silence of the ghost towns. Signe missed the buzz of conversations and the many noises that came with vehicles and the inside of shops and. . . people. Signe missed people. The way they spoke with hatred, love, sorrow, and everything in between. She missed their ideas, their thoughts, their feelings.

And though she had the company of the good doctor, he alone does not make up for the millions upon millions of people, talking, laughing, living.

Leaning against a street light with his horrid grin and a dark colored suit, he spoke as the two passed by. " _But isn't it much more peaceful?"_   Signe ignored him and walked on, trying to keep her eyes trained upon Henrik's shoulders. But, it was no use, he appeared yet again in front of her, walking backwards. " _Come on, darlin', you wanted world peace didn't ya?"_

She shook her head as she walked through him. He was a mere delusion. A simple illusion. He can't get to her if she doesn't let him. 

Unseen pixels were pulled into the world, they all morphed together in what looked like a green blur before it cleared up to reveal Anti. He had an impatient look on his face, his grin seeming almost painful, and his hands in his pockets. " _Givin' me the cold shoulder, eh? Ya can't ignore me, not forever. No matter what that doctor says._ "

Signe pressed her lips into a thin line, preventing any harsh words to spill out. For even the slightest bit of recognition is enough for Anti. Anti turned his eyes up to the gray sky, his grin becoming a subtle smile that was almost terrifyingly close to Sean's smile. " _Ya know, Signe,"_ Signe did a double take. That was the first time Anti has ever addressed her by her real name other than the time when he pretended to be her boyfriend. " _As much as I hated yer lil' boyfriend I couldn't be here without him. He was the one who gave me life and a place to stay._ " Signe furrowed her eyebrows. " _And gave me access to all of these puppets all this **power**. And access to you._ "

Anti grinned as he looked to Signe. He draped an arm around her shoulders causing her to cringe. " _My favorite puppet._   _So obedient, so fun to torment. I would have never been able to have you if it weren't for him. Though, I guess I should thank you as well._ " Signe turned to Anti in terror. He nodded as his wicked grin returned. " _I almost lost track of those egos, but thanks to you, I just need to get rid of one more broken puppet._ " Signe went frigid as he pointed to Henrik. " _Then it will just be you and me, darlin'._ "

Signe shuddered in disgust as Anti disappeared pixel by pixel, his green eyes going last. Signe sped up and walked side-by-side with Henrik.

Henrik turned to Signe with concern. "Are you alright, Signe?" 

Signe put on a weak smile. "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine, Henrik. Ho-how about you?"

Henrik eyed Signe. "I'm fine as vell."

" _He won't be._ "

* * *

The sun escaped the wall of dark gray clouds and was now sinking toward the horizon, the once gray sky clearing and turning into an alarming pink. Signe turned to Henrik for the plan of where to camp for tonight.

"What are you thinking, doc?"

"Vell. . ." Henrik's eyes scanned the ghost town, seeing all the dark buildings that did not look very safe, "I know you von't like zis, but I zink it vill be safer if ve vere to stay outside for tonight."

"What?"

Henrik sighed. "Zese buildings, zey look too risky. Sleeping outside seems like ze better solution."

"They look more risky than sleeping outside with no sort of protection whatsoever?"

"Signe, look at zat convenient store over zere." Henrik pointed to an abandoned gas station, that looked extremely run down. "Zat right zere is an Anti hot-spot."

"And how do you know?"

"Easy, ze amount of times I zink 'fuck zat' vhenever I see it."

"How many times have you thought 'fuck that'?"

Henrik smiled as he placed a hand on Signe's shoulder. "Enough to confirm zat ve are sleeping outside." Signe sighed in disappointment. "Ah, Signe, it von't be zat bad. Ve'll finally get to see ze stars."

A small smile tugged at Signe's lips. "I nearly forgot about the stars." Henrik lead Signe over to the side of the road to find a nice clearing.

"How could you forget somezing like zat?"

"We hardly see them in Brighton due to light pollution. But I guess since there's nobody else around to power those lights, we'll be able to see them." 

Henrik picked a clear spot and took the backpack off of his shoulders before taking out a folded blanket and placing it onto the ground. He then took off his lab coat, folded it into a makeshift pillow, laying it down beside the blanket. Henrik laid down, propping his head up with his lab coat and folded his hands over his stomach, staring up at the darkening sky.

Signe dropped down onto the blanket and watched as the sky turn from it's beautiful blue to a dark indigo. A silence hung between the pair as they both got lost in their own thoughts.

"Henrik,"

"Yes?"

"How were you made?"

Henrik turned his head to the side, raising an eyebrow. "Did zey not teach you about zat in health class?" 

"No, I mean, you were a fictional character, created by Sean and then all of the sudden you just pop into existence?"

"Oh, zat." Henrik turned his head back up to the sky. "Vell. . . I actually don't know. I can't remember a time vhere I didn't exist. I remember my childhood, my teenage years, my college years, meeting my wife, having my kids."

"You had kids?"

"Yes, two girls."

"What were their names?"

"Sally and Samantha. I loved zem more zan anyzing."

Signe didn't want to ask what happened to them. "What was your wife's name?"

"Sandra."

Signe put on a small smile. "You had a whole family of alliterations, huh?"

Henrik chuckled softly. "I guess so." There was silence once again as the stars peeked through the night sky.

"How did you meet the rest of the egos?"

"Ah, vell Jackieboy vas one of my regular patients due to his nightly crime fighting. Chase's kids used to play vith mine. I took my kids to Marvin's show one time and Jameson happened to be a side act."

"When this all started this. . . Anti-pocalypse, how did you all happen to end up in the same place?"

"Vell, I vas vorking late in ze hospital, Brody came by to visit Jack again. I let him in and vent back to vork on my papervork. I passed out in ze middle of it. Chase vas ze one to vake me up. He vas in an absolute panic, he vas telling me zat Jack vas gone. And ven I vent out to see for myself, ve not only saw zat Jack vas gone, but everyone vas gone. Or, zat's at least vat ve zought."

Signe drew her eyebrows together. "Was there someone else with you?"

"Yes, Anti. He chased us out of ze hospital and into zat downtown area. Ve hid in ze tavern vhere ve saw Marvin, Jackieboy, and Jameson hiding behind ze bar. Marvin and Jameson vere apparently doing a show not too far from zere."

"And what's Jackieboy's story?"

"Ze night before, he got into a bad fight near ze alley vay of ze bar. Jameson and Marvin found him in ze dumpster and took him in."

By now the stars filled the sky as the colors of galaxies and milky ways settled in. "I've forgotten how beautiful the sky is."

"So did I."

Signe's eyelids started to become heavy. "I bet they would love to see this."

"Zey vould have, yes." Signe's breathing became more even as her eyes closed and she drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Signe opened her eyes to see the starry night sky still hovering above her. She turned her head to the side to see Henrik beside her, staring up at the sky. A smile formed at her lips. A sleep with no nightmares, no Anti, no-

He turned his head to reveal that horrid grin and vibrant green eyes.

" _You really are gullible, aren't ya?"_   Signe groaned as she sat up and went to walk away when Anti caught by the wrist. " _Oh, c'mon, darlin' I'm not gonna scare ya this time. I just wanna talk._ " Signe turned her head and raised an eyebrow.

"Talk? When have you ever wanted to just talk?"

" _Right now._ " Fair enough.

Signe turned around and crossed her arms. "Why should I talk to you? After all you've done to me?"

" _I have the answers to all of your questions._ " Signe eyed Anti suspiciously. She didn't trust him, not one bit. And she really shouldn't trust him. " _I can tell you anythin' you want to know._ "

"Anything?"

" _Anythin'._ " 

Signe thought long and hard about the next few words she was about to say. Though, she wanted to know where Sean is, she didn't trust Anti to tell her. So, she settled on the second best question that has been haunting her ever since she met the egos.

"How were you created? What  _really_ happened?"

Anti smiled. " _Unlike the others, I was always there. Just a parasite, inside of yer boyfriend's body._ "

Signe scoffed. "Bullshit. If you were I would have noticed."

" _You would think that, but no. You never could tell the difference._ "

"Really? Prove it."

" _Gladly._ " Anti got up and his image flickered into Sean's. His soft brown hair, his subtle smile, and his blue eyes with closer inspection had speckles of green in them. "You're the best, Wiish." Goosebumps raced across Signe's skin. "I love you, Signe." Signe's blood turned cold as Anti laughed, his form glitching back into his own. " _Believe me now?"_

Signe didn't answer that question, she instead just move onto the next. "What about the others? How did they get here? Did they all just always exist too?"

" _Of course not. I believe someone would have noticed if they just saw copies of yer boyfriend runnin' around._ "

"Well, then how did they get here?"

" _Sean brought them into this world._ "

"How? How could Sean have possibly done that?"

" _Well, I did play a hand in it._ "

"How did you do this?"

" _I made Sean pick up a spell book and created them._ "

"Why did you create them?"

" _I needed a doctor that could fix him up after I was done with him as to not raise suspicion. I needed easy bodies to get access to if I ever wanted to become something more powerful than just a one-man virus. And I still needed to keep in contact with Sean's fans._ "

"Why did you need to keep contact with the fans?"

" _They were the ones that gave me the attention, that gave me power, without them I couldn't be here today._ "

"Where did you keep the egos? I mean, you couldn't have just let them out into the open."

" _When I didn't need them I would send them to sleep in an abandoned hospital, filling their minds with fake memories._ "

"Fake memories?"

" _Don't tell me that you really believe that they had real lives before I came in._ "

"B-but, I saw you murder Chase's kids-"

" _A_ _figment of Chase's imagination._ "

"And Henrik's family. . ."

" _Fake, puppet._ "

"Is. . . is this even real?"

Anti chuckled as he placed a hand on Signe's shoulder. " _More real than reality itself._ "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, sure, classic Anti with just a T-shirt and ripped jeans is pretty nice, but how great is Anti in a suit?


	3. Dance Little Liar

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I heard the truth was built to bend  
> A mechanism to suspend the guilt." - Arctic Monkeys, Dance Little Liar

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know what how about for the summary from now on just some Arctic Monkeys quotes that could be interrupted to something sinister?  
> (I'm sorry, I'm really trying to come up with something)

Signe awoke with a jolt. Her skin was pale and coated with a thin sheet of cold sweat. Her heart pounding, her adrenaline pumping. She had been scared out of her slumber, but by what?

Taking in large breaths, she sat up and tried to piece together what had scared her so much. Anti was in her dream again and he was talking to her. But what was it about?

" _You can't remember, can ya?"_   Signe grabbed locks of her hair and closed her eyes tight, trying to remember what he said to her. Anti laughed, breaking her concentration. " _Tell me somethin', darlin', can you remember yer boyfriend?_ _"_

Signe furrowed her eyebrows. What kind of stupid question is that? Of course, she remembers her boyfriend. She remembers. . . what was his name again? . . . Signe couldn't think of that right now, but she at least remembers what he looks like. He was. . . blonde? No, no, he wasn't he was. . . what was his hair color? What was his eye color? What did he look like?

Signe couldn't remember.  _She couldn't remember._ " _How about yer friends, huh? You're family? Yer mum and dad. Ya **should** remember them._ " But Signe didn't. She couldn't remember them. Hot tears burned her eyes as they collected. " _How 'bout just yer name? What's yer name, darlin'? Huh? Can't remember that either?_ _"_ Tears streamed down her cheeks. " _Ya didn't think I would just let ya get away with **all** that information, did ya? You'd just go spoutin' off to the doctor._"

Signe didn't understand what he was talking about. "Why? Why take away my memories?"

" _Well,_ " Anti sat down next to her, grinning sickeningly so, " _I know ya don't remember, but we had a discussion last night. I gave you everything you wanted to know. But, I couldn't just let ya walk away with that information. That would spoil everythin'. And we don't want that._ "

"B-But why not just our conversation? Why take out all of my memory?"

" _I didn't take away all o' yer memory. Ya still remember me, don't ya?"_

It was true. Signe did remember him. Every excruciating minute with him. As she looked through her memories, she watched herself die in that hallway over and over again. She watched as she tried to escape a hospital with no exit. Nightmares, with no end.

Anti laughed cruelly as tears welled up in her eyes.

Somebody shook her from her trance. Signe turned her head to see a man that seemed to be in his mid to late twenties with black framed glasses, dark brown hair, blue eyes, and a worried expression.

"Are you alright, Signe?"

Her memories came flooding back. This was Henrik, Henrik Von Schneeplestein. He's a doctor, was a friend of Sean's and the other egos, had a wife and kids, and he was now Signe's closest friend.

Signe could remember. She could remember almost everything. Almost.

Signe hurriedly wiped away the upcoming tears and nodded. "I'm alright, Henrik."

Henrik paused, surveying her face like he did with Jackieboy's. Like it was the last time he would ever see her.

"You know you can tell me anyzing, Signe."

"I know."

Henrik sighed as he stood up. "Alright. Vell, if you are okay, ve better get going. I've got a bad feeling about zis place.

Signe looked around at the ghost town, getting the familiar feeling of unease. "Me too."

* * *

Signe and Henrik hit the road yet again, but this time Signe felt much more tired than usual. But, she couldn't let Henrik know, if he did then he'd know what Anti did to her and she really didn't want to drag him into this. This was her battle. Her fight. If she brought him into this he might end up like the rest of the egos.

"Henrik,"

"Yes?"

"How did you somehow just go about the world without being noticed by fans and such?"

"Ah, vell-. . . I-I don't know." Signe got a slight sense of deja vu, but she didn't know why. "I. . . I do remember zat I met many people, but I guess zey didn't recognize me." There was a long pause in which Signe just tried to think why she felt that there was something sinister lying beneath Henrik's words. "So, Signe, you have been asking me many questions about myself, but I haven't asked anyzing about you."

"Uh, okay, what do you want to know, Henrik?"

"Vat did you do for a living before. . . zis started?"

"Oh, I was a Youtuber, like Sean. I also made digital art." Signe smiled fondly. "That's actually how we met."

"Really?"

"Yeah, he saw one of my drawings of him and we started talking and soon enough we started dating."

"Zat's sweet."

Signe laughed. "Not really. When I was drawing him on a livestream, he asked me to draw him pretty as a joke and I just told him to go fuck himself."

Henrik threw his head back in laughter. "Vell, zat just proves zat you really vere meant for each other."

Signe's smiled faltered slightly at the thought of Sean and her relationship with him. Which nothing was bad with those thoughts, it was everything else that branched from those thoughts that saddened her. Like if Sean was okay. If he was even out there.

"Yeah." There was yet another long moment of silence before Henrik spoke up.

"I'm sure he's out zere, somevhere." It was almost as if Henrik had read Signe's mind. "Ve'll find him." Henrik looked over his shoulder and gave Signe a reassuring smile. "Don't vorry."

Signe smiled back, even though something inside said that they won't. She pushed back that feeling and walked on down the empty roads, occasionally stopping to peer into windows to see if Sean was in there, somewhere.

* * *

"Zis is ze last one before ve try to find shelter. Alright, Signe?" Signe nodded as she walked over the abandoned house, Henrik walking in the opposite direction in search for a good place to sleep or scavenge.

"Alright, Henrik." Signe approached a rather dusty window and pressed her nose against it, trying to catch a glimpse at whatever maybe inside. She could see a dark living room, filled with dusty furniture and knick-knacks.

At the very corner of the dark room she could see someone huddled up with their knees drawn to their chest. She could just barely make out the outline of their dark brown hair and their forest green windbreaker.

Signe narrowed her eyes as the person slowly lifted their head. She felt her heart swell as she made out Sean's face, peering at her through the darkness. But before she could call Henrik over she noticed something. . . odd about Sean's appearance. 

His eyes, they weren't blue. They were green.

Anti grinned. " _Ya didn't think it'll be that easy, did ya?"_ Signe scowled before turning around to walk away. Anti appeared beside her, still in Sean's clothing. " _Don't ya want to talk to me? Huh? Say a few insults? Maybe some threats?"_

"When have I ever wanted to talk to you?"

" _Why, just last night._ "

Signe furrowed her eyebrows. "What are you talking about?"

" _You and I talked last night._ "

Signe had to hold back her laughter. "Oh, bullshit."

" _Ah, but it's true._ "

"Then why don't I have any memory of it?" Anti didn't answer, he only smiled like he knew something she didn't. It took Signe a second to figure it out, she looked to Anti, horrified, to which he laughed at. He  _laughed._

" _I couldn't just let ya walk away with all that information. It would have spoiled everythin'._ "

"Then why tell me anything at all?"

" _'Cause you're fun to fuck with."_ Signe's face contorted to one of almost disgust. " _Ya don't react like the others ones do_ _. Oh, no. When I show ya somethin' truly horrifyin', I not only see the fear in yer eyes, oh no. I see yer true self._ "

"What the fuck are you talking about?"

" _Yer true self. Not this persona ya still put on even when a camera is not on ya. I know what you really want to happen here. I know that deep down you just want this all to be over by any means necessary. Even if that means givin' in to me._ " Signe shook her head and started walking faster than anything, moving toward Henrik. He's just trying to get in her head. She can't let him do this. 

Anti appeared in front of her yet again, still holding that sickening grin. " _I know who you really are, Signe Hansen. Do you?"_   And with that, Anti disappeared yet again, leaving something unsettling to fester inside of Signe's mind.

She stopped walking for a moment and clutched the sleeves of her sweatshirt, looking down at the ground.

Who was she?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope this chapter was enjoyable, anticipate the next one!


	4. One Point Perspective

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Just as the apocalypse finally gets prioritized  
> And you cried some of the hottest tears you ever cried." - Arctic Monkeys, One Point Perspective

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> God, I feel terrible that there's no real summary.

Signe said next to nothing to Henrik once she finally caught up to him. He kept asking if she was alright to which she would always reply with a smile. But, Signe seems to be keep forgetting that Henrik is not stupid. He knows something is wrong with her and it's obvious, though he does not wish to pester her about it. Signe doesn't know why, but she doesn't ask.

Henrik found them a small theatre to sleep in. Henrik said that though the theatre itself gave off a bad vibe, outside seemed worse. . . this time at least. The screening room seeming too risky and the concessions too out in the open Henrik picked the projector room. Since it not only had a lockable door but a view of the theatre in front of it, making it easier to see if there maybe any threats awaiting in the darkness.

The two got set up, Signe placing down a blanket on the carpeted floor. She was about to lay down when she noticed Henrik, not going to sleep himself, instead he was seated on a stool near the window, viewing the screening room below.

"Henrik, aren't you going to sleep?"

"I vill in a vile."

"Henrik, you really should get some sleep. Don't think I don't know about you waking up in the middle of the night to watch." 

"And you've been sick for veeks now. You need your rest. And I need to make sure zat ve are safe."

"Henrik, I'm fine."

"Vhy do I keep catching you talking to him zen?" Signe fell silent. "Vhy do you vake up every morning in a cold sweat? Vhy do your eyes look like his?" Signe felt her heart sank. She has not looked at her reflection in nearly a month. She had no idea that her eyes had turned that horrible vibrant green. "I know you aren't dealing vith your nightmares vell. Vhich is vhy you need all ze sleep you can get. And vhich is vhy I have to keep vatch, just in case."

"Henrik, you have to take a rest too. Anti is planning something for you, I know it."

"I know. I vill deal vith it in my own time. It is my battle, not yours."

"But-"

"Go to sleep, Signe. Trust me, I vill as vell, just give me some time."

Signe sighed softly before complying. She laid down on top of the blanket, turned on her side, folded her arms under her head, and closed her eyes.

* * *

Signe woke up back in the theatre, everything about the same. The secret pantry stashed with junk food to the far right, file cabinets lining the white painted brick walls, the projector stored at the very back of the room, and a stool right beside the window that showed the screening room below.

Yep, everything was about the same except for all the cobwebs and dust. And of course the absence of the good doctor.

Not quite sure whether this is another nightmare or not, Signe got up and went over to examine the screening room. Just to see if there was anything out of the ordinary in there.

She peered into the window to see the many rows of seats and littered popcorn, junk food, and drinks. The very shadowed walls, the only thing truly sticking out being the big white screen in front.

Not seeing anything weird, she went to get out of the projector room when she saw something move out of the corner of her eye. She returned to the window to find that the screen was becoming very bright as if a movie was about to start. Signe looked behind her to see that the projector was still turned off before looking back at the screen.

Before her was her boyfriend Sean with his kind blue eyes and his gentle smile and his. . . lime green hair. Must be an old video. It didn't matter though, Signe smiled widely all the same. For she didn't really care. This is the first time in forever that she has seen Sean alive. Truly alive.

"Hey, Signe! I, um, wanted to make a video for you to tell you somethin' I can't say to you in person. Because I'm  ** _w̵̛͚̮͂͑ë̵͔̖́͛̔̒̑ͅą̷̇̎̿̆̈́͛ḵ̵̢̪͔̥̒̊̎._** " She could see Sean's image flicker for an instant before he reverted back to his serious demeanor. "But, I wanted to say that, um, that there's something inside me that is. . ." he flickered again, that horrible grin replacing his smile for a mere moment, "dangerous. And I don't think I can control it anymore. I've decided that. . . I'm going to have to go away for a while.

"Because, I don't think that. . . you will be safe with me around." Sean smiled as tears welled up in his eyes. "But, I don't want you to worry. Because I'm going to be just fine. Okay? I'm going to be just. . ." everything slowed, causing his voice to become deeper, "fine."

Everything cut to black. That unnerving giggle echoed throughout the theatre.

" _Did ya miss me?_ _"_ A whisper that seemed to be coming from behind Signe echoed Anti. Signe, not wanting to show any sort of fear, remained stone faced and refused to turn around.

Before her now was everybody's least favorite, Anti. With his black gauges, Sean's lime green hair, that cut across his throat, that horribly edgy outfit and big ass knife. All of these features earning him the title of "Glitch Bitch". " _Look at you all, just sittin' there!"_ Signe - already tired of this speech went to open the door to the projector, only to find that it was locked.

"Fuck!"

While Signe tried using brute force in hopes to open the door, Anti continued his monologue. " _I've gave ya warnin's, I've gave ya threats and yet you continue to just sit there! Helpless!"_ Signe would have questioned what the fuck Anti was talking about but she was too busy trying to break open the door. " _Y'know what's gonna happen next. Y'know that there's not gonna be a happy endin'. Somebody's gonna **die**. And it's gonna be by her hands._ "

Signe could feel anger boiling inside her. Anger that she didn't even know that she was holding back. Anger that seemed to have never been there until now. Almost like someone had set off a trigger.

"Let me out, damnit! _LET ME OUT!"_  

" _This ain't a fuckin' fairy tale. This is a nightmare with no end!"_ Signe repeatedly punched the door, her knuckles turning red and some becoming bloody. " _See ya real soon._ " The video cut out and the theatre was dark once again.

Tears of frustration built up in Signe's eyes as she still persisted in her attack against the damned lock door. With two more hits against the door Signe finally stopped. Tears rolling down her cheeks as she caved in.

She was never going to get out. For there is no way out. This is a game to where she is rigged to always lose. She can't fight against Anti. And she will never find Sean.

This is it.

* * *

Signe awoke yet again, covered in a thin sheet of sweat. However, she was not laying down on a the blanket but was standing over Henrik with a large knife raised above her head, having the intent to bring it down upon the doctor.

Henrik was soundly asleep, his mouth hanging open and his head propped up by his folded lab coat. Signe let out a breath she didn't know she was holding as she let the knife fall from her hand and onto the carpet.

She was going to kill Henrik.  _She was going to kill_   _Henrik._

Hot tears pricked at the corners of Signe's eyes, she clasped her hands over her mouth and backed away from Henrik's sleeping form. She turned around and faced the screening room outside.

If she didn't wake up. . . if she let Anti go, he would have been dead. Just like the others. And it would have been her fault. It would have been all her fault.

Tears streamed from her eyes while she stifled sobs.

It's all her fault. Everything is her fault. If she had never stepped foot into that bar they all would have been fine. They all would have been alive. If it just wasn't for her.

Signe finally found out who she was. She was a monster. A fucking monster.

An arm wrapped around Signe's shoulders and pulled her close. She then felt the cool sensation of a blade being pressed to her throat.

He giggled. " _Ya need to learn to kill first darlin'._ " The tip of the knife dug into the skin of Signe's throat and moved across until her neck was spilling crimson. She tried to breathe - to talk - to do something, but they all came out as sputters and gasps.

Anti turned Signe around and pushed her onto her back. Having the last thing Signe sees is Anti's grin on Henrik's face. " _Or else he will kill you_."

* * *

Signe sat up, gasping. The real Henrik stiffened from his slouched posture on the stool and whipped around. Concern taking over his once peaceful expression. He rushed over to Signe and knelt down to get a better look of her.

"Signe, are you alright?" Signe wrapped her arms around Henrik and held him tight, never wanting let go. She felt like if she did she will lose him. Henrik rubbed her back soothingly.

Signe took in a shaky breath before speaking. "Henrik, we can't go on like this."

"I know zat zis is hard, but ve must persevere-"

"No, we have to do something, Henrik." Signe finally pulled away to look Henrik in the eye. "Something other than breathing exercises, something other than just living through nightmare after nightmare. Something more than just resisting Anti."

"Vat are you suggesting, Signe?"

"We fight."

Henrik shook his head as he got up to go fetch their bag. "No, no, ve are not doing zat. It's too dangerous."

"And this isn't Henrik?"

"Ve are alive, are ve not?"

Signe stood up. "There is a difference from being alive and waiting to die, Henrik. We need to take action."

Henrik paused. "Zat's vat you said last time. Zat ve needed to do somezing. To take action." Signe froze at Henrik's words as he grabbed their bag and slung it over his shoulder. He turned around and walked over to Signe, placing a hand on her shoulder. "I don't blame you for vat happened. None of us could have known. But, ve must learn from it. I can't risk losing anozer friend to him."

"I can't either, Henrik. Which is why we can't just keep going on like this. Hopping from place to place, hoping that we find someone, all the while trying to run from our enemy. But we can't run anymore, Henrik. We either have to stop and face him or we die."

Henrik sighed. "Vat you are saying, Signe, it's nearly impossible."

"Nearly."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Huh, wonder what Anti's talking about in this one. I sure wouldn't know.  
> Also I feel like I have described Signe crying here way too many times. I really do feel bad for it.  
> But, anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed this!


	5. Pretty Visitors

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "All the pretty visitors came and waved their arms  
> And cast the shadow of a snake pit on the wall." - Arctic Monkeys, Pretty Visitors

"Signe, if ve actually plan to do zis, vhere do ve even start?"

"We look in the places we would never go near."

"You're not talking about-"

"The Anti hot-spots."

"Signe, zat's suicide."

Signe pursed her lips together. "Henrik, would you rather die trying or die running away?"

"I'd razer not to have us die vatsoever!"

Signe took in a deep breath, calming herself. "Henrik, Jack and Chase didn't die for us to be waiting for Anti to finally kill us." Something inside Henrik seemed to have changed at the mention of Chase and Jack. "They died for us so that we could live. So that we could have a chance to defeat Anti."

Henrik stared at Signe, long and hard. Scanning her face, yet again as if it were the last time he was going to see her. 

"Vat of Jack?"

"If we survive, we will continue to search for him."

"And if he isn't out zere?"

"We'll look for other people. Anyone we can help or could help us." There was a pitiful look in Henrik's eyes.

Henrik sighed. "Do you really zink zat zis vill make a difference?"

"It's better than nothing."

* * *

The two packed up and hit the road yet again, this time in search for a place where Anti would most likely be in. Signe had expected that Anti would have shown up by now, since he always has something to say to her, but he hasn't. Which she doesn't know if that's a good thing or not.

"Signe, am I going crazy or is zat ze same gas station ve just passed?" Signe looked over to see that Henrik was definitely not going insane. It was the same gas station they had passed only a few minutes ago.

"You're not going insane, Henrik."

"Are ve going in circles?"

"It seems like it, but I don't know how that's really possibly, we've been following the same road."

"Let's keep valking, if ve pass by ze same gas station again, ve vill go anozer vay." Signe nodded as the two trudged on. Many moments passed where neither spoke a word, there was only the sound of their marching feet. The silence didn't break until Signe began to notice Henrik repeatedly rubbing his eye.

"You alright, Henrik?"

"Yes, I-I'm fine. Zere's just. . . somezing in my eye."

"Okay. . . ." The two ventured further down the road when Henrik began murmuring. Murmuring like he was talking to someone. "What are you saying, Henrik?"

"Nozing, nozing. Just. . . making mental notes."

"Out loud?"

"Yes, an old habit of mine." 

"Henrik. . . you know you can tell me anything, right?"

" _Can I?"_ Signe furrowed her eyebrows.

"What was that?"

"Nozing." Signe pursed her lips together, keeping her mouth shut. The two walked on down the road and as they were coming upon to what appeared to be the same gas station Henrik's neck began twitching.

". . . You're sick, Henrik, aren't you?" Henrik whipped his head around.

"S-sick?" Henrik laughed nervously as his twitching worsened. "Signe, zat's crazy! I'm perfectly fine!" Signe looked into Henrik's eyes and she could start to see speckles of green forming in the blue.

"Why haven't you told me?" Henrik's nervous smile fell and his twitching ceased.

"Vhy didn't you tell _me?"_

"Don't try to change the subject. Why haven't you told me that you were infected?" Signe demanded.

"I have to be ze one strong here, Signe. Since you obviously can't handle Anti."

"It's not like you can handle him alone either, Henrik."

"I have before. I can do it again."

"Whatever happened to keeping each other alive?"

"Ve're going to die anyvay, aren't ve?"

"Dying is the worst case scenario. Though, our chances of defeating Anti is slim we cannot just expect the worst."

" _You're ze one zat talked of death! You're ze one zat acted like ve vere going to die eizer vay!"_

"Henrik, I thought you believed in a positive mental attitude."

" _I zought you did too._ " The two fell silent as they stared one another down. The speckles of green in Henrik's eyes seemingly growing larger.

Signe tore her eyes away from Henrik's and trained them onto the ground as she shook her head.

"We can't do this. We can't fight like this. This is what he wants. He wants us to turn against each other and do his dirty work for him." She looked up at him. "I for one, am  _done_ being his fucking puppet!"

Henrik took in a deep breath through his nose. "So am I." His expression softened ever so slightly. "Signe, I'm sorry for vat I said. I didn't mean it."

"I know you didn't. Now, come on, let's find him before it gets too late." The two turned to continue down the road only to see that it finally ended at a very large hospital that loomed above the two. Red light leaking from the cracks of the boarded up windows. The automatic glass doors wide open.

"I zink ve found him."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woo! We're nearing the end! What will happen to Signe and Henrik in the next chapter?  
> Guess we'll just have to see ;)


	6. Red Light Indicates Doors Are Secured

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What's the point of having a summary?  
> You already know what's gonna happen  
> I̶̗̐̅ ̸͙̫̊̔͌w̵̧̺͚͐ä̶̬̘̠͝r̸̹̿̽n̷͙̠̳̿͛e̷̛̥͔͂͆͝d̷̤̪̜̈ ̶̱̼̐̅y̶̳͙͕̰̑̕͝o̴̧̲͕͘ü̴͓̼̆̐͘

The two slowly entered the hospital, being very wary of whatever may be around. In front of them was the waiting room that was completely deserted. There were four rows of empty blue chairs to the right, a coffee table holding untouched magazines between every two rows. There was a small television sitting atop a table that still seemed to be working. It was displaying a variety of machines and gadgets while playing a theme song that sounded almost too similar to Stranger Things.

And even though there shouldn't be any power here whatsoever the room was still cold from the ongoing air conditioner. And it was illuminated by very dim fluorescent lights.

"What is with Anti and fluorescence?" Henrik shrugged as he lead Signe over to two metal doors to the left.

Henrik slowly pushed it open to reveal a hallway almost as bleak as the lobby.

To the right there was another hallway, in between those was another reception desk, in front was another hallway with entire row of empty hospital rooms alongside it. And at the very end of the hallway there were another set of doors with windows, showing the flashing red lights behind them.

"Stay behind me." Signe complied and walked closely behind Henrik as he slowly made his way toward the end of the hallway. Signe began to collect a feeling of dread as the two approached the doors.

He giggled. " _This is it. This is where everything begins to fall into place,_ " he spoke over the loud speaker. " _This is where you ask the question as to if you're gonna really do this._ " Henrik placed his hand on the door and paused for a moment. " _Ya can always turn back. Just remember that I'll be right behind ya._ " Henrik looked over his shoulder, silently asking for Signe's approval.

She nodded. Henrik took in a deep breath and pushed the door open. " _So be it then._ " Signe could practically hear his grin forming as the speaker cut out.

The hallway was long and narrow and dark. The only light being a slow, red flashing light that just read bad news. It emitted this eerie alarm, that Signe was all too familiar with. 

Just the sight of the hallway put Signe in a state of unease. For the last time she gone down this hallway, she died.

She grabbed Henrik's hand and held it tight. Henrik squeezed her hand in reassurance. 

The two approached yet another set of doors almost identical to the previous ones. Henrik pushed them open to reveal what looked like a lobby which had a reception desk with a phone perched atop of it, a steel elevator, and two dark hallways. The steel elevator had bloody finger prints smeared upon it. Beside the elevator was a bloodied key card jammed into the slot.

In the center of the lobby was Marvin's lifeless body, his gray eyes staring up at the ceiling. His skin rid of all pigment. His neck slit open, old blood staining his skin.

Tears brimmed in Signe's eyes as she held back a scream. She blinked away the tears - she can't show weakness, not now. " _Brings ya back, huh, darlin'?"_ Anti chuckled as Henrik visibly stiffened. " _Oh, that's right, ya still haven't seen Marvin's body yet, have ya, doc? Oh, it's such a shame really. Ya should have seen him when he was still fresh, there were still tears staining his_   _cheeks._ "Anti giggled.

Henrik drew in a shaky breath as he lifted his eyes from Marvin's corpse. "Vhere are you, Anti? I zought ve came here to fight."

Anti clicked his tongue in disappointment. " _You never were fun, Henrik._ " He sighed over dramatically. " _I'm upstairs if you must know._ " Almost as if on cue the elevator doors opened with a ding.

Signe and Henrik stepped in, the doors closing behind them. The elevator already picked the floor for them and the two ascended, still holding each other's hands tightly. A silence settled over the two as the elevator climbed to their destination. The only sound being the elevator music which was. . .

"Is that. . . is that 'Girls Just Want to Have Fun'?"

"It seems Anti has a taste for early 80's music." The elevator finally came to a stop and the doors opened to reveal a very dark hallway. "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" playing over the loudspeaker, yet. . . it sounded much more sinister this way.

One by one the lights came on almost like spotlights to reveal a giant metal door at the very end of the hallway. A small window was placed in the door, it showed only an all white room. From the other end it was hard to see what was inside the room.

Henrik took the lead once again and made his way to the door, Signe following close behind him. With each spotlight Signe passed they went out, giving her the feeling like something was right behind her.

They eventually reached the door. Henrik swallowed hard before pushing it open. It was a regular operating room with a table, a tray full of instruments and everything. It. . . seemed familiar somehow, Signe just couldn't put her finger on it.

Signe jumped at the sound of the door closing behind her. "Shit!" She attempted to pull it open, but it wouldn't budge.

Anti laughed. " _Looks like you'll just have to find a way out, puppet._ " Signe growled as she slammed her hand against the door. Henrik placed a hand on her shoulder. She whipped her head around to face him.

"Don't let him get to you so easily," he said firmly. "Let's just take a look around and try to find somezing of use, alright?" Signe's expression slowly softened as she nodded.

"Okay." Signe walked toward the counter in the back of the room, going toward the right while Henrik went to the left. She pulled out a drawer to see neat piles of medical supplies inside of it, but nothing of use.

" _Little bit lower,_ " said the voice inside her head. 

Without thinking Signe bent down lower pulled out the next drawer. Still nothing. " _Lower._ " Her body moved on its own once again to open the last drawer. Signe's stomach sank.

It was a large knife. Signe went to close the drawer and forget she ever saw it, but her arm had other plans. It stiffened and dove down to retrieve knife. She felt the smooth surface of the handle in her hand as she slowly straightened her back.

"Found somezing, Signe?"

" _Kill him._ " Signe shook her head. She didn't want to kill Henrik. She wasn't  _going_ to kill Henrik. 

Signe's body slowly turned to face Henrik. She could see a transparent Anti standing behind him, looking to Signe and grinning. " _Oh, you're gonna do it, puppet. Whether ya like it or not._ "

Henrik turned to Signe to say something but froze in the middle of it. "Vat are you doing vith zat knife?" Signe's legs slowly approached Henrik.

"Henrik,"

"Signe. . ."

"Run!" Signe's legs picked up speed. Luckily, Henrik listened to her for once and began running around the room, trying to escape from her clutches. All the while Anti laughed cruelly.

Henrik ended up in the middle of the room, trying to mislead Signe by teasing to go either left or right. When Signe's body was planning to just run down the middle Henrik pushed the operating table over, knocking the tray full of instruments over in the process. While Signe's body planned it's next move, Henrik desperately searched for something that could help him over by the drawers.

Just as Henrik was going to open the last drawer Signe's leg kicked him down and planted her foot upon his chest. Which shouldn't be enough to keep Henrik on the ground, but there appeared to be something else holding Henrik back.

Signe looked to Henrik, fearful for what she was about to do.

Henrik looked up at her pleadingly. "Signe, please, don't do zis. You can fight zis."

Anti knelt down beside Henrik, grinning up at Signe. " _Go on, puppet. I believe in ya._ "

Signe's arm shook as she struggled to gain back control. Her body won't let her drop the knife, her hand has an iron grip on it. She probably doesn't have the strength to do so much as to put it down anyway.

"Signe, you're stronger zan zis. I know you are!" Anti grabbed Henrik by the chin.

" _C'mon, puppet, I can keep him here all day. There's nothin' stoppin' ya._ " 

Signe's not strong enough to fight against Anti.  . . . But Henrik is. She needs him alive. Sean needs him alive. Humanity needs him alive. They need a good doctor. Not Signe Hansen.

With the last bit of strength she had, she forced her arm to bring knife toward her throat. " _Wha-what are you doin'?"_

"Signe-!"

" _NO! NO! DON'T YOU DARE!"_ Signe placed the cool metallic blade against her jugular. 

"Signe, please, no!"

" _NO! DON'T DO IT! **D̵̟̜͖̟́͐̿̑Ō̸̯͐N̶͉̭͙̫̒̓̌͘'̶͉̃T̶̗̺̜̍̈̈́́-̸̧̧͖̱̑̐̒͝ -**_ "

"I can't lose another friend."

Signe dragged knife across her throat, blood spewing out from the wound. Her body gave out, falling on it's side as everything began to go dark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I-I'm sorry. I couldn't save them.  
> (Seriously, I am so sorry)


	7. Chapter 7

Signe awoke in a hotel room upon a still made bed. She rolled over onto her side and looked around the room, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion. She didn't remember checking into a hotel room. And she didn't remember why she needed a hotel room. She sat up, turning her head to either side of the room. 

It was a very fancy hotel room, complete with a kitchenette, a bathroom, two queen sized beds both completed with a kingdom of pillows and blankets, a television and a curtain to hide the "bedroom".

Her stomach dropped as she realized where she was. It was the nightmare that started this all. She shook her head as she pulled herself up to the headboard.

"No, no, no, no." She could see the darkness begin to seep in from the corners of the room. "No! No! Th-this can't be happening! This can't be happening!"

"Signe?" Signe's eyes darted over to the bathroom. The darkness retracted from the light that came forth. It was Sean, with a toothbrush in his mouth as well as toothpaste. "You okay?" Signe eyed him suspiciously. She slowly got up from the bed and approached him, not exactly sure if this was really Sean or not. She put her hands on either side of his face and looked him in the eyes.

Blue. Pure blue.

Signe threw her arms around Sean and buried her face into his shoulder as tears of joy filled her eyes.

"I'm so glad you're okay." Sean wrapped his free hand around Signe hesitantly.

"Of course I am, why wouldn't I be?" Signe pulled away from him, the tears now rolling down her cheeks but smile on her face.

"I just had. . . the  _worst_ nightmare in my entire life. You were gone and all of your egos were alive and Anti was trying to kill me." Sean chuckled as he wiped away her tears with his free hand.

"That sounds like a fanfiction."

Signe laughed. "A really fucked up one." Sean retreated into the bathroom to spit out the toothpaste in his mouth and rinse it out with water. He came back out and kissed Signe atop of her head.

"You better get ready, we got to leave in a while and I want to get a piece of that continental breakfast before we go."

* * *

Signe got ready and her and Sean went downstairs with their luggage. They took a stop at the buffet for a quick breakfast. Signe settled on cereal while Sean unsurprisingly chose the waffle.

Though, Signe couldn't get herself to eat, images of her nightmare kept popping up in her mind. It's strange how vivid it was. She could actually  _feel_ the pain she endured.  . . . She could still remember the nightmare. All of it. She should have forgotten about it by now. Maybe it was just such a powerful dream that it was hard to get it out of her mind. I mean, that's a thing, right?

"You sure you're okay, Signe? You've barely eaten anything." Signe lifted her eyes from the cereal bowl to look at Sean.

"It's just. . . the nightmare I had. It-it felt so. . .  _real._ It's like I actually lived through it." Sean focused on his waffle and took a bite.

"Well, up 'til ya killed yerself," he said through a mouth full of food.

"Yeah, but-. . . .  Sean,"

"Yeah?"

"I didn't tell you I killed myself in my dream." The murmuring ceased around them and the color of hotel lobby. . . there's no other word for it - glitched into darkness. ". . . Sean?"

A smile began to play on Sean's lips. "I thought it was a nightmare." The lobby glitched again, but this time, it stayed. Sean and Signe were the only ones left, plates of hot food left abandoned in the dark and cold lobby.

Signe looked down at her cereal bowl to see that the puffs had been replaced by wriggling green eyeballs. She let out a yelp in surprise as she shoved it away from her. " _'Less ya truly enjoyed our lil' adventure._ "

Signe looked up at Anti. "Where is Sean? Where's Henrik?" she demanded.

Anti laughed. " _Isn't it obvious, darlin'? They're dead. After you went off to pull yer lil' stunt, I finally killed off that cursed doctor_ _._ " Signe gripped the corners of the table as she held back the pain.

"And what of Sean?" she attempted to ask in an even voice.

" _Oh,_ _I killed yer lil' boyfriend long ago._ "

"Why lie about it then?" Anti placed his elbow on the table and put his chin in his hand.

" _The hunt is_ _much more fun when yer prey has hope._ " Signe slumped in her chair as she stared down at the table.

She chased after a man who was already dead. They all chased after a man who was already dead. They died for a man that was already dead. " _Guess it's a lot to take in for ya._ " 

This is it. This has to be just another nightmare. Signe will wake up at any moment now.  . . . Any moment now. " _If you're waitin' to wake up, ya lost yer chance. You died, Signe. There's no goin' back._ "

"Where am I?" she asked without looking up at Anti.

Anti's grin fell, he wore a bored expression as he sat back in his chair. " _Where do ya think?"_

"Hell?"

" _No and you're not in Kansas neither. You're with me. For all eternity._ "

"Are you still alive?"

" _'Course I_ _am._ " Anti's grin returned as he balanced his chair on two legs. " _Think of this as one o' yer nightmares. 'Cept this one, never ends. You'll forever run down hallways, watch yer friends' death, and die over and over again. One big circle._ "

"People get sick of the same routine, Anti. How do even know it will still work?"

" _'Cause after each one you'll forget what happened. It'll be a fresh start each time._ " Anti's eyes wandered around the lobby. " _In fact, I think this one is 'bout over._ " He lifted his hand and prepared to snap his fingers. " _I'll see ya in the next one, darlin'._ "

But before he could do so the ceiling cracked open, light leaking through the gap. Anti planted his chair onto the ground as he looked up wildly. " _What the f-_ " From the light, five ghostly white hands reached down and grabbed Anti by the wrists, lifting him out. " _Hey! HEY! LET ME GO, YA DAMN BASTARDS!"_ Signe watched in awe as Anti was lifted up from his seat, kicking and cursing. " _Signe, get over here!"_   he commanded. " _Help me!"_

Signe felt the urge to get up from her seat, but fought against it. "I am not your damn puppet!"

Anti growled. " _You're gonna fuckin' regret this! If you think this was bad, you haven't even seen-!"_ Anti words were silenced as the light engulfed the lobby, painting everything in bright white.

From the light came a hand, outstretched to Signe. A black tattoo on its arm that resembled something from Bloodeborne 

"Come on, Signe. Let's go home." The voice was soft and kind and trusting. Signe looked at the hand for a long time, debating whether to trust it or not. "Come on, the guys are waiting for us." Signe hesitantly grabbed the hand and everything went white.

And for once, her trust paid off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's the end! Thank you all so much for joining me on this journey, it has been an absolute blast. And I'm sorry I killed all of the characters. But, at least we got a bittersweet ending out of it.


End file.
